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Saturday, November 11, 2017

(Developing Conceptual Paradigms for Interdisciplinary and
Interfaith Program Development)

ABSTRACT

This manuscript explores
the fundamental conceptual paradigms that various Interfaith communities can
utilize for curriculum development concerns as well as program development
concerns. The conceptual frameworks are applicable to religious, spiritual,
interfaith and interdisciplinary organizations in theology, the social sciences
and the humanities.

The concept of the Interdisciplinary as
well as Interfaith Discussion Group is one of the timeliest developments in
spiritual collaborative efforts for communities nationwide and worldwide. The
interfaith brings together spiritual people from various walks of Life to come
together, discuss similar ideas, celebrate commonalities and join together in
the spirit of Wisdom and Loving Service. This manuscript therefore explores the
fundamental conceptual paradigms that various Interfaith communities can
utilize for curriculum development concerns as well as program development
concerns.

The freedom to conceptualize and
organize spiritual, interfaith, and religious communities is enshrined in the
Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines:

“No law shall be made respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and
enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or
preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for
the exercise of civil or political rights.” (Article III Bill of Rights,
Section 5, 1987 Philippine Constitution).

Thus, in accordance with this law, interfaith and
interdisciplinary religious dialogue is a right of the sovereign Filipino
people. This inspires us and gives us the impetus to outline and highlight
conceptual paradigms that various interfaith and interdisciplinary religious
and spiritual communities in the Philippines can utilize for organizational
purposes.

DISCUSSION

Symbiotic Unity in the Spirit of Service

Spiritual seekers from
all inclinations and from all walks of life are now beginning to come together
and share knowledge, insight and wisdom. Coming together from various spiritual
frameworks and backgrounds, these spiritual people have realized the need to
unite in the spirit of service. Unity is a crucial factor in all historical
epochs and more so in an age where Ascension is possible. Symbiotic Unity is a
conceptual paradigm that could have a very powerful impact in the way
interfaith and other spiritual communities come together, coalesce, and manage
themselves and their relationships with fellow organizations and the community
as a whole. In understanding Symbiotic Unity, we have only to access the
legacies of various mystical orders, shamanic associations, and spiritual
communities since the dawn of time. Their spiritual lessons have always
included the facet of unity as a very crucial factor in achieving their dreams
and goals. For example, we can see Symbiotic Unity as a crucial factor in the
management of Celtic Druids. The great Druids of Europe would come together every
now and then, share knowledge and help each other in the service of their
Celtic tribes. They were the fathers of their respective peoples and commanded
respect far and wide. The conceptual paradigm of symbiotic unity can be seen in
the inner workings of the Shaolin Temple of China. It was a massive
demonstration of unity at a time when monks were not given proper attention by
the ruling elite. Eventually, the symbiotic unity of the Shaolin Temple monks
helped raise awareness about the many productive endeavors that they were
regularly contributing to the community.

In the present age, spiritual people
from all walks of life can utilize the lessons of Symbiotic Unity to improve
the cohesiveness of their mystical or spiritual organization in ways that can
transcend their particular backgrounds and religious frameworks. It is
understood that spirituality can be a guiding force that binds together seekers
of various inclinations into one cohesive, dynamic and cheerful whole.

Collaborative Harmony in the Spirit of Cheerfulness

From the fields of
psychology and management, humanity has acquired the lesson that inner passion
must be one of the guiding forces in the choice of vocation and occupation.
Spirituality and mysticism can join this insight with their spiritual wisdom
and produce groups, teams and organizations which are functioning at a very
high level because they incorporate the aspect of “FLOW.” Flow is a term in
motivational psychology referring to the zone state where a human is performing
at the most optimum level. It has been recognized that mastery of a skill or
talent requiring the utmost performance level can be achieved when one is fully
passionate about a particular activity. (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, 2008).

Spiritual organizations and interfaith
communities can take a cue from these findings of psychology and management. It
is very important for spiritual leaders of all kinds to have the utmost
enjoyment in their craft. The spirit of cheerfulness, therefore, can be another
guiding force that can enlighten and solidify the performance of spiritual
tasks. It is already a given that spiritual leaders love their particular
vocation. However, they should also incorporate the spirit of fun, adventure,
humor and cheerfulness in their calling. The best spiritual communities are
those who are imbued with an element of fun. If it is not fun, why quest
spiritually?

Infinite Diversity in the Spirit of Love

The Cosmos is a massive ensemble of
worlds, like sands in the seashore. The infinite permutations of the Divine
Essence of the Supreme God are so numerous as to dazzle the mind and
imagination. Thus, all the fields of thought themselves are expressing this
principle of Infinite Diversity. All the souls of all the universes are playing
a symphony in eternity that is so dazzling and so deep and so multi-dimensional
that it can only elicit the spirit of wonder from any observer.

It is this principle that the
interfaith communities nationwide should exercise as another guiding principle
in the conduct and management of their organizational strategies and tactics.
Infinite diversity as a conceptual paradigm can be celebrated in many ways. Be
open to the ideas of new as well as old seekers. Celebrate their uniqueness.
Everyone has a story to tell. Ennoble the storyteller by listening attentively
and actively as well as testing that narrative in the crucible of experience.
Spiritual insight produces its validity when examined by the crucible of
experience, modified by the uniqueness of the context where it arises. Another
way to express Infinite Diversity is to celebrate creativity in all its forms.
The artist is brother to the medium. The artist is brother to the mystic. The
artist is brother to the shaman. When interfaith communities incorporate this
conceptual paradigm into their operational goals, Love will naturally bloom
with its finest essence.

In the saga of Philippine History, we
can see the paradigm of Infinite Diversity to be expressed in a very unique
form in the panorama of the 1898 Philippine Revolution. Our heroes and heroines
were unique personalities with outstanding individual talent. The wisdom and
prudence of their leaders was palpable in the harnessing and integration of
those singular talents into working wholes. For example, Marcelo H. Del Pilar
was the archetype of leadership wisdom, Andres Bonifacio was the archetype of
martial courage, Apolinario Mabini was the archetype of sacrificial service
while Dr. Jose Rizal was the archetype of versatile intelligence. (Teodoro
Agoncillo, 1990).

Organizational Autonomy in the Spirit of Empowerment

Spiritual communities
like the Interfaith initiative here in our country are organizations that can
stand on their own if imbued with the proper set of strategies and tactics.
Strategic planning must blend with operational implementation in such a way as
to manifest and create a successful program of development. Spiritual
empowerment, therefore, is another crucial conceptual paradigm that interfaith
offices nationwide can study, incorporate and implement as part of their organizational
goals. (Erwin Rimban, TAR Paradigm, 2016).

Here in the Philippine islands, various
spiritual Seekers understand the crucial role of spiritual empowerment as a
conceptual paradigm that should be explored and implemented in order to insure
organizational success. We are currently exploring various strategies and
tactics to enhance organizational effectiveness and better serve our spiritual
communities. We recognize the need to absorb and utilize insights from various
fields of thought, like the sciences, philosophy, psychology and education in
the management of our spiritual community. We realize the pivotal roles played by
organizational autonomy, self-reliance and spiritual empowerment to insure that
we achieve our organizational goals in the most effective and efficient ways
possible. The fluidity of our team management can only be a testament to the
beauty of our spiritual paths and the primacy of our spiritual vocation as a
blessing from God.

Sensei
Erwin Rimban was born in the
Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been fascinated by the esoteric
realm and avidly read books on world history, philosophy, astrology, mythology,
the social sciences and similar fields. Educated at the University of the
Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he added Evolutionary Biology to his
plethora of interests. After graduating from college, he spent many years in
the tourist destination of Baguio City where he pursued a career in writing and
teaching, while at the same time finding time to be a meditation teacher. His
hobbies include chess, poetry and Tarot counseling. Currently, he is active in
organizational work, where he is promoting advocacies in educational
philosophy, spiritual counseling, and environmental issues. He is also the
founder and mentor of a learning organization and Wisdom Community, the ANAM
CARA Philippines Learning Organization. He has written numerous essays on
wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy and
psychotherapy

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Critical
Thinking and Paradigm Development in the Mystical Philosophy of Reincarnation

The soul
and its vehicle are locked in opposite domains, yet living in the same wave-space. The paths of the soul ever beckon to the higher realms. As if in
counterpoise, the paths of its vehicle, the body, always remain in fascination
with the matrix of space-time. The two sides are always in disagreement. But
they manage to have a conversation. This conversation, this dialogue, this
concord is a difficult one. But it must occur if they are both to thrive in
their native domains. Having made temporary peace, they are free to pursue
their respective aims.

The one who
is born from the upper realms is an explorer of multidimensionality. He or she
or it (actually this form has no gender, but we will try to use conventional
terms for ease of comprehension) is a pure being, without assumptions, devoid
of biases, totally open to new experiences and possessed of the spirit of
wonder always. But, in order to explore the realms of multidimensionality, this
pure being must acquire and maintain vehicles of exploration. There are several
kinds of these vehicles, each suited to the plane or dimension or universe of
its current fascination. Normally, the soul that journeys within its vehicle is
not cut off from the Source. Meaning, he maintains and enjoys actual contact
with higher realms, especially with its realms of Home. There is a saying:
“Home is where the Heart is.” And indeed, it is also true in this instance. In
fact, the monad, that is locked within the temporary prison of its vehicles,
has made a massive sacrifice just by encasing itself in various case sheaths,
as it were, in its efforts to sample and explore the various multidimensional
realms. At some point, the soul will be extremely interested in the sensual
delights and other pleasures of the realm that he is exploring. This is normal,
as long as he always connected to his base, his Source, his Home.

But what
if, by some mechanism, whether intentional or accidental, the monad or the soul
is suddenly cut off from the Source, from his Home, and from the memory of his
origins? Then a very interesting existential dilemma arises! We shall go back
to this subtopic later.

Meanwhile, the vehicles of the monad or
soul are its primary expressions in the realms of exploration. These vehicles
are chosen for a purpose. They serve the goals of the Soul Curriculum which the
monad follows as a guide in its mystical adventures. The soul curriculum of
every soul defines the road-map of its journey. In the realms of the material
universe, the vehicles achieve an unusual power that is characteristic of
templates which are operating in their own elemental fields. We recognize that
the physical vehicles are children of the material universe. Thus, while souls
or monads are exploring in the material universe, their physical vehicles are
apt to attain a position of great importance. Again, the normal attitude of the
soul is to recognize that physical vehicles are simply tools for the
navigation, learning and pleasure of the exploring monad. This equanimity is at
its highest in the safety and security of the existential contours of the Deep
Self or Higher Self, which represents the core of every reincarnating being. There
arises a situation however, when the reincarnating aspects of the Deep Self,
which I call the Fractal Selves, are cut off from their Source. This situation
gives rise to what we mystics now call the “Existential Loop Dilemmas.” The
reincarnating aspect, separated from the Source and its Deep Self Core, and phase-locked
in the planes of matter, or whatever plane that has caught it as prisoner, may
come to think that his current manifestation is already the most authentic one.
The only real one. When in fact it is
only a façade, a mask, a vehicle of exploration. This propensity to exalt
the fractal over the Deep Self or Higher Self may also be magnified by any devious
system, born of negative polarity, which attempts to maintain such a state of
ignorance for its own egocentric ends and agendas. If this is a state where
you find your fractal self involved in, then you are required by the forces of
destiny and serendipity, to muster all the resources at your disposal to
overcome the boundaries of ignorance and attain the ascended state. To seekers
from the planet Earth, we now usually call this the “wisdom quest.” The wisdom
quest is the attempt of the fractal soul to realize its own true mystical
nature, liberate itself from the bondage of ignorance and willingly and
cheerfully choose to graduate from its present state. This is no easy task.

There are many, many roadblocks to
Ascension or soul graduation. The acquired tendencies of the soul may be
impediments or barriers. Negative attitudes are definitely impediments, but
also are “actuations arising out of habit.” Failure to educate yourself in any
way possible is a roadblock, too. Thus, it is incumbent upon every soul to
pursue knowledge for its own sake, as well as knowledge for practical purposes.
You never know when that bit of knowledge shall help you. Learn, learn, learn. Institutional systems, when implemented by an
invading race out of selfish intentions, may be barriers to mystical
development also. And to this morass we can also add culture. Culture is
definitely a product of the evolutionary successes of a race, but it also
possesses challenging variables which may pose as impediments to Ascension
itself. Thus, Ascension is a very, very subtle enterprise. It is the most
challenging task in any incarnation!

Like any story or narrative, the spiral
of reincarnation has its own theme, structure, flavour, timing, colour, vibration, story-line, beginning, middle and climax. Though the outline of the
reincarnation process is defined by the soul curriculum chosen during cosmic
birth; the variables, specifics and dynamics of that process itself is coloured
by the specific requirements of the Higher Self or Deep Self. In this, as in
many areas of Cosmic Life, free will and the liberty of choice are essential
parameters. The Deep Self is free to choose what narratives it wants to
explore, using his own particular paradigms of learning, in its own contexts,
using its own timing and rhythm, and occurring in environments of his own
choice. No one can interfere with this Cosmic Law. The Higher Self has
complete control of its incarnational perspectives, including the nativity and
culmination of those fractal selves. The Deep Self and its incarnational
streams are all existing in their own incarnational universes. They are
inviolate and given the ultimate freedom to decide their own narrative cycles
and progressions.

A human soul is an explorer par excellence. In
order to elicit maximum learning from its incarnational lives, the Deep Self is
invited by the Cosmos to sample and experience as many varied lives as much as
possible. The dance of the energies represented by the Houses of the Zodiac is
only a guide to the variety and multiplicity of lives that a fractal soul can
assume. At the same time, the natal astrology chart is a map that gives an
insight to the range of possible lives and incarnational streams that a cosmic
being can assume. An array of archetypes can dazzle the imagination. Child,
warrior, lover, scribe, mother, father, sage, king, queen, mystic, genius and
the like. These archetypes are the templates of assumption, characteristic of
the infinite dances that a soul can assume. These and many more archetypes are
you! You are them, in your thousands of lifetimes! You have loved before, been
betrayed before, died before, a thousand times a thousand! You have been born a
king, entrenched in the pedestal of power. You have been born a beggar, experiencing
the extreme poverty that life can offer. You have been born a queen, a
shamaness, a priestess, a lover, etc. You cannot graduate without experiencing
the male as well as the female perspectives of the universe. All of us are both
male and female, as well as beyond male and female.

And now, let us try to appreciate the
times we are living in. Prophets of the Mayan world have made precise
calculations centuries ago. These insights have been popularized by Hollywood
into the science fiction movies we all enjoy today. Technically speaking, these
prophecies correspond well with the inspired research of individual Seekers
like Terence McKenna, who elicited the wave-forms of the I Ching. They are all
warning us, of the possibility in our lifetime of an event of maximum Novelty.
This event indeed corresponds to what sages have been proclaiming as the
graduation point, the Zero Point, or the Days of Ascension. Our generation is
extremely lucky to even have the possibility of experiencing such an event. From
the point of view of reincarnation, the culmination of a narrative brings with
it all the connotations and associated meanings that are unique to such a
transpersonal phenomenon. Again as learners of the phenomenal universe, it is
incumbent upon us to contemplate the possibilities of such an event with the
utmost care. Now is the time to harness all our spiritual and mystical
resources. Now is the time to bring forth all the wisdom that we have acquired
through eons of reincarnation. Now is the time to unite, brothers and sisters. For
it is extremely imperative for all of us human souls to inquire and quest
whether we are now in the stage of culmination. Ascension, the culmination of
our quest eons ago, is our birthright. Always has been, always will be.

Reincarnation is a gift, a very
powerful gift of the Cosmos. It allows spiritual beings from various dimensions
of the Cosmos to discover the manifold realities of Life in all its plethora of
permutations. It is the fulcrum of soul pilgrimage. As cosmic learners, let us
learn to use it to our optimum advantage.

About The Author:

Sensei
Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been
fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history,
philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields.
Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he
added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from
college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he
pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time
to be a meditation teacher. Currently, he is active in organizational work,
where he is promoting advocacy programs in educational philosophy, spiritual counselling,
wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy,
ecology and alternative medicine. (He can be reached at this email:
mentorpath@gmail.com).

Saturday, July 15, 2017

The current thought process
occurring in education all over the world is the sequential thought pattern.
The purpose of this critical and exploratory essay is to explore the nonlinear
thought pattern as well as elucidate its possible applications to such diverse
fields as education, psychology, philosophy, theology, humanities and the
social sciences.

DISCUSSION

We must understand that the
masses are used to thinking using a certain methodology. This method is called
serial processing. The two methods of processing are actually two ways by which
the brain is processing information. The left brain is the serial/analytical
processor while the right brain is the nonlinear/synthetic processor. The left
brain analyzes disparate information in stages because that is the way it
digests knowledge. Furthermore, the left brain cuts down a pattern into
different clues. The left brain is a destroyer of pattern matrices, in order to
comprehend them. The left brain is the primary tool of the scientist and
technocrat.

On the other hand, the right
brain apprehends disparate information as whole, for the right brain is the
chalice of the artist. Looking at a pattern as one, the right brain synthesizes
the pattern information matrix in one singularity and attempts to absorb its
data in one loop. This is obviously a higher order of processing, with the left
brain serial processing being a lower order of rung. Yet both have their advantages
and disadvantages.

Let
us start with a very simple exercise to illustrate these two different
informational processing realms. Collect twelve pebbles and arrange them in a
series from left to right, one after each other, in a straight pattern. You
could give them names like alpha, beta, gamma, delta and so on. Speak their
names out loud if you wish, to accentuate the exercise. Now, look at what you
have constructed. This is a serial or linear pattern, you called out the names
of the pebbles from a certain perspective, using a certain direction only. This
is how the human mind in the 3d universe thinks mostly.

Now, let us create another
pattern. Arrange the pebbles in a circle, taking care to make the distance from
each other similar as much as possible to effect maximum symmetry. Now, call
one of your friends and ask them to contemplate the pattern. Can they tell
which of the pebble came first in the order and which came last? Surely not, in
normal terms. This pattern you created is now what we call the nonlinear
pattern. It has no beginning nor ending, it is apprehended as holistic pattern
by the mind, and it is not ordered in a sequential way. This is the true
pattern of the universe, nonlinear reality. The sequential universe that we
currently comprehend is thus only a simple derivative of the true universe.

The seeds of understanding the
difference between nonlinear and sequential thought actually begins with the
study of light. Light is both a particle as well as a wave. Here is already the
difference. The particle property of light simulates the sequential universe
while the wave property of light simulates the nonlinear universe.

The sciences by their very
nature are exercises in the inexorable logic of the left brain, while the arts are
delicious adventures in the panoramic feast that is right brain nonlinear
processing.

WHEN
THE MAPS ARE LOST IN TRANSLATION

Calibration, prediction and
measurement are facets of sequential thought. They achieve their zenith in the
predictive sciences. Since sequential thought is about the step-by-step
processing of the mortal mind, then it makes sense for that mind to engineer
and contemplate a sort of predictive method whereby he can believe that he
controls the evolution of its worldsphere through space and time. Unfortunately,
every time the sequential mind contemplates this fact, the very polarities that
he wishes to control will now dance in his face, defying his well thought out
schemes. The polarities themselves supply the challenge to his very mindset,
and thus he rationalizes that use of technology for greater and greater mastery
of the known variables of each continuum arrayed before him. He patiently
categorizes all knowledge into the known and the unknown, and makes a
persistent effort to discover the unknown. Much to his dismay, however, he
finds that for every known that he masters, a new set of unknowns fly in his
face. This causes him mental suffering. Locked in sequential thought
processing, he wil continue to master every set of unknown variables thought
time and space. Why? Because there is no other way to solve his conundrum.The
sequential mindset is therefore locked in a vicious cycle of its own making.

The predictive power of the
sequential mind, in its own context, is awesome, for it seeks to create,
cultivate and propagate alphabets of understanding, which it uses to navigate
from the known to the unknown. These alphabets are all the languages, from the
linguistic forms to the mathematical worlds, to the computer languages and thence
into all the symbolic forms. These languages are powerful in their own right,
for they give rise to a certain kind of internal logic that arises out of their
syntax and coding. Like a game of chess or GO, these languages persist for they
can define protocols in their own worldspheres. Remember that all forms are
fractals of the Cosmos, and therefore partake of its power. In this sense, sequential
constructs have an abundance of order. Why? Because that is the part of the
cosmos that they express. The problem, however, occurs when the sequential mind
attempts to translate these languages and interpret the Cosmos as a whole. Here
the map fails. And it fails miserably! The Cosmos is too awesome to be
interpreted by any kind of mental map, however profound that map is. A map is
still a map. Thus, there are limits to what a map can understand. These limits
are defined by the nature of the fractal contexts of which the map is the
intended instrument of measure. Farther and farther away from this fractal
context, and the map loses intelligibility. The map “crashes” so to speak,
meaning it lacks translation protocols to define new ways of understanding the
terrain. It becomes “lost in translation.”

What is the lesson here for
the sequential mind? Savor the various maps and languages and instruments for their
own purposes. But remember, all maps have limits. Know when it is time to
discard them. And never make the mistake of thinking the map is Infinite
Reality itself.

THE
ARTIFICIALITY CALLED TIME

We shall use this knowledge of
the two informational processing realms and bear them on to a deeper
understanding of the phenomenon called time. The arrow of time seems to be
moving forward all the time. But this is an illusion. When consciousness
singularities are experiencing the three dimensional universe, they are
automatically delimiting their multi-dimensional selves into special vehicles
that can assimilate a limited informational worldsphere, in this case the 3d
universe. What we call time is really a special focus of attention whereby a
consciousness form tracks the presence of certain worldsphere events and
arranges its vector dynamics to travel that worldtrack in a specific fashion.
The consciousness singularity is, of course, aware, that he can traverse the infinite
manifold of the cosmos in many different worldtrack permutations. But, to
maintain consistency in his 3d universe worldtrack, he prefers to traverse it
using a specific vector frequency. This is called spacetime. And it appears to
be flowing in one direction only, though of course, that is an illusion only.
Since the consciousness is mainly using a serial processor biological mainframe
to traverse the worldtrack, it makes sense to delimit his multi-dimensionality
and focus only in one direction, otherwise the serial processor will not
comprehend the data that he is exposed to.

Thus, spacetime in the 3d
universe is configured to be assembled by the serial processor. They are made
for each other. In order to comprehend the higher order data from higher order
realms, another distinct information retrieval system should be manufactured or
discovered or utilized.

Enter the nonlinear processor.

The nonlinear processor
apprehends multi-dimensional realms simultaneously. It is like looking at an
art form, or listening to a piece of music, or watching a dance number. The
whole is assimilated completely, not part by part like the one in sequential
thought. The learning style is holistic, and the learner assimilates a large
amount of data.

SYMBOLIC
SIGNATURES

The triangle or pyramid is the
symbolic flag or rune signature of the sequential processing aspect of reality,
while the circle or sphere is the symbolic flag or rune signature of the
nonlinear processing aspect of reality. The triangle shouts its linear
allegiance, and demands worship from its adherents. This is a way for the
triangle simulated thought worldview to make its presence felt. Adhering to
sequential processing, it must attempt to warp and force its native
consciousness forms to partake of its feast. This process is almost a form of
cruelty, because it uses coercion to manipulate the mind to become its slave. The
mind is the direct child of consciousnesses, thus it is apt to be spontaneous
in the beginning. The triangle attempts to surpass this nativity, by bringing
the mind into full control. It wrestles with the mind, it seduces the mind, and
when all else fails it coerces the mind through direct manipulation. When the
mind surrenders, it surrenders itself to the machinations of the sequential
universe. It begins to process in a linear fashion, delimiting itself and
surrendering its full powers. It becomes heavy. It falls prey to gravity. It
becomes enmeshed in the planes of matter. It becomes lost in the maze of its
own making.

When sown in this manner, all
the systems of thought are derivatives of the sequential worldview. The
sciences, once powerful and objective, become slaves to it. They are quickly
seduced by its twisted logic. And they come to believe that there are
limitations to the unknown set of variables in the universe itself. They now
begin to quest to master these unknown variables. Sadly, the sciences
themselves become egocentric, refusing to countenance the possibility of
paradigms that do not suit the tastes of the sequential universe. Science now
becomes an adept at manipulation. It dictates the fashionable paradigms, it
dictates the way to transmit these paradigms, and it dictates the way to deal
with bifurcations in the road. The result is the glorification of the vehicle of
the technosphere, for it represents the current mastery of its sequential
paradigm. The hardware is glorified, the software is suppressed. The dream is
under way…..

Being a slave to the
sequential worldview, the sleeping soul trapped in the planes of matter holds
fast to whatever tool is present at the moment that can ease its suffering. The
sleeping soul itself become addicted to control and controlled environments. It
reeks of sequential processing also. It desires to know, yet uses only the
sequential thought process. It is trained by its master, the sequential mind. It
comes to abhor all forms of nonlinear processing. They occur only to him as
diversions, hobbies suited for playing in its leisure hours. It does not imagine
that leisure itself may supply the answer to its quest……

Art becomes only a diversion
now.

And yet, hope prevails for a
solution is embedded in the soul matrix itself. This is the quest motif. It is
a feature of all consciousness forms, whether solitary or collective, whether
playing in the sequential or nonlinear universes. The quest motif is the
desire, deep within every consciousness, to know the truth about itself and the
universe. It begins as a form of restlessness, or a yearning, or a desire to
study, or a penchant to travel, or an inclination to inquire from others, or
merely curiosity, or any permutations of the aforementioned. This small fire
can be fanned into a larger steady blaze by a constant barrage of synchronistic
and enlightening set of circumstances. Let us call this Serendipity. Serendipity
arranges the events in the life of the consciousness singularity in order to
awaken the potential within that soul to access the Truth. The querent now
begins to truly travel, immersing himself in the world of the quest paradigms.
And, whether formulated consciously or not, it begins to mould its inquiry
along the lines of the fundamental metaphysical questions: Who am I? Why am I
here? Where am I going?

The quest will carry the
consciousness, let us call him the Fool, through mountains and valleys and
caves of thought. He will encounter thousands upon thousands of thought
systems, all clamouring for the attention of his foolish sequential mind. Initially,
he will begin to question the system of thought which is its nativity. Its
native system of thought, a child of the sequential universe, possesses the
Truth in a distilled form, palatable only to the sequential mind, and consisting
of various control parameters which make it hard for the seeker to embrace the
nonlinear path. In addition, the doctrines of such a system has its own
polarities, inconsistencies and dichotomies, which are the legacy of the
sequential universe. Every system of thought in the sequential universe, being
its child, possesses polarities at every level, in every dimension, and
occurring in every construct. So, an added burden to the seeker is the unravelling
of such polarities. This may even distract him from the true Quest itself. Thankfully,
its Higher Self has the quest motif prepared in advance. The seeker will now have
a life best by a continuous train of contradictory and challenging events which
serve to awaken him to Absolute Truth. Such events may center, but not be
limited, to various forms of existential dilemmas which challenge his loyalty,
whether to the lower or the upper planes. As his consciousness begins to
awaken, the inertial forces will in turn, become stronger and stronger and the
querent must fight for the quest to continue.

It appears that the seeker is
all alone in his quest, a lonely traveller in a dark road, where twilight and
night entice him to rest from his quest. But, thankfully again, his Higher Self
has prepared well in advance. Companions in his quest shall appear from time to
time. These may take the form of actual people, or events, or books, or
peculiar experiences, or even distressing occurrences. Environments may also
become “companions” on the path. And so the quest continues.

One day, it all comes
together. One lucky event, which appears to be random. But it is not random.
And the traveller awakens. This is the awakening process, which shifts the
consciousness of the seeker from sequential to nonlinear. And the drama returns
full circle, and restores the symmetry. And the ending becomes the beginning…

The old paradigm is static,
sequential and reductionist. The new paradigm is dynamic, nonlinear and
holistic.

The eyes of the soul are
opened once more, to the realities of the nonlinear cosmos. The veils of
illusion are parted, the bars of the prison are broken. The seeker is awakened!

CONCLUSION

The nonlinear model of
reincarnation is the greatest possible teaching for consciousness singularities
traversing the breadth, height and depth of the Cosmos. For it encapsulates the
nature of the cosmos itself. It is the very expression of cosmic life. Let us
enjoy its priceless jewels:

The cosmos is nonlinear.

The
cosmos is holistic.

The
cosmos is one, the Oneness.

The
cosmos is the supreme form of art.

The
cosmos is infinite.

The
cosmos is eternal.

The
cosmos is interconnected, holographic and recursive.

The
cosmos is absolute Love, in absolute permutation.

About The Author:

Sensei
Erwin Rimban was born in the Philippine Islands. Since a young age he has been
fascinated by the esoteric realm and avidly read books on world history,
philosophy, astrology, mythology, the social sciences and similar fields.
Educated at the University of the Philippines, where he graduated Cum Laude, he
added Evolutionary Biology to his plethora of interests. After graduating from
college, he spent many years in the tourist destination of Baguio City where he
pursued a career in writing and teaching, while at the same time finding time
to be a meditation teacher. Currently, he is active in organizational work,
where he is promoting advocacy programs in educational philosophy, spiritual counselling,
wisdom, metaphysics, mysticism, psychology, history, educational philosophy,
ecology and alternative medicine. (He can be reached at this email:
mentorpath@gmail.com).

The first one is attributed to the
philosopher Rene Descartes. The second is from the poem Desiderata. And the
third one is from Louis Claude de St. Martin. Throughout the ages, the greatest
thinkers of humanity have endeavored to answer this most fundamental question
of human existence. Let us now explore how various paragons of the ages have
approached it and savor the insights we can glean from their thoughts.

“You are a creature of God,” pronounced
the Western theologians. But a sinful one, they admonish and thus continue the
argument by explaining how you can be saved in the form of the various theories
of salvation. “You are atman, a fragment of the Universal Soul,” asserted the
Eastern spiritual gurus. Sinfulness is not an issue in the East, compared to
the West, but ignorance of one’s true nature is. Therefore, the Eastern
spiritual traditions emphasize the need to know one’s true nature. Some would
say the East presents a much more cheerful prospect. “Man is rational,” said
the ancient Greeks. “Man is spiritual,” countered the ancient Eastern spiritual
teachers.

“You are a body”, intoned the
mechanistic Western physiologists. A lack of subtlety there, everyone can see
they have a body. “You are a mind existing within the confines of the body,”
championed the Platonian idealists. More subtle, assuredly.“You are a body with a mind that is full of
psychosexual dilemmas,” declared the Freudian psychoanalysts. The various
psychoanalytic paradigms all flowed from this concept. “Your psyche is rooted
to the Collective Unconscious, countered the brilliant Jungian archetypal
analysts. And their disciples have been searching for archetypes ever since,
uncovering every nook and cranny of the human psyche.

“You are a battleground of the forces
of light and dark,” lamented the dualistic-minded Zoroaster. Dualistic
religions and philosophies flow from this theological position. You are a
combination of Yin and Yang, but they are enemies on the surface only. This is
a paraphrase from the Taoist masters. For them light and dark, yin and yang,
are lovers beneath, whose eternal dance comprises the phenomenal world. “You
are nothing,” counseled Prince Siddhartha Gautama upon his ascendancy as the
Sakyamuni Buddha, perhaps with a twinkle in his eyes. Did he mean it literally?
Allegorically? Or was he thinking of something else. “You may be nothing, but
you create your reality by your free will,” added the pragmatists and
existentialists.

“You are a collection of atoms, obeying
the classical laws of physics, argued the mechanical Western scientists. For
centuries, this has been the norm of Western classical thinking. But
Heisenberg, Schrödinger, and other more super-intelligent quantum physicists
arrived on the scene. And they changed the landscape of science forever. “You
are a monad, a fragment of the universe, complete unto itself,” offered
Leibniz, co-inventor of the calculus. “And you are immortal,” echoed Vardhamana
Mahavira, champion of Jainism, thousands of miles to the East. Both of these
thinkers are separated by distance and time, yet show surprisingly similar
positions.

So who are you?

The best answer to this question comes
from the hieros gamos, the sacred marriage, of quantum physics and the mystical
arts. The most advanced quantum physicists are penetrating into the deepest
mysteries of space-time, nature, and the universe. They are beginning to behold
the Divine Wisdom, the wisdom of the ages, which has been shrouded in mystery
since time immemorial.

For centuries, the Divine Wisdom has
been in the hands of the mystics of East and West. Experiencing firsthand the
presence of Divine Intelligence, mystics are given a true experiential event
where they apprehend personally the nature of man and the universe.

Hieros gamos. The sacred marriage. More
and more quantum physicists and mystical philosophers are communicating,
sharing knowledge and critical insights. This conference of minds will help
usher the Golden Age of humanity.

This concludes our basic survey of the
first fundamental metaphysical dilemma. It logically now leads us to the next
question…..

Why
are you here?

“Something is doing we don’t know
what.” A legendary remark attributed to Sir Arthur Eddington.Let us continue our pilgrimage in wisdom by
studying the second fundamental question of existence, the question of origin
and purpose.

Two
great systems of thought contested the nature of man’s origin in the past:
creation and evolution. The diametrical opposition of the mechanical scientists
and the stubborn theologians dominated Western civilization for centuries. But
today, a new kind of thinking is emerging which is destroying the obsolete
paradigms of the past. In this paradigm, both viewpoints can be assimilated
into a new system of thought, one that synthesizes both creation and evolution.

The universe is suffused with energy.
And Einstein has demonstrated that matter is simply crystallized energy, a new
concept that was extended by the mystical quantum physicists. This position
correlates well with the viewpoint of mystical philosophers that matter is the
lowest form of energy. We can accommodate the creation theory by tentatively
accepting that the creation of this universe did exist as a point in time,
corresponding with the Big Bang of the Western scientists. That settles the
point of view of creation.

Observe the universe. Explore our
world. Open your eyes to your environment. The forms in our world exist as
hierarchies. But the hierarchies are inter-related. Atoms give rise to various
molecular arrangements. Molecules give rise to mineral categories. All the
various kinds of plants are composites of atoms, molecules and minerals. But
the whole is more than the sum of its parts. In other words, a plant is more
than a collection of atoms, molecules and minerals. It is something more! And
by extension, all the forms of life are more than the sum of their preceding
hierarchies. Plants exist as the subsistence of some animals. But animals are
entirely different from plants. In the same way, humans eat plants and animals,
but their forms are different. Humans are infinitely more complex than plants
or animals, although these forms are composed of the same fundamental building
blocks: the atoms, molecules and minerals.

Thus, there exist hierarchies in
nature. Preceding wholes give rise to new kinds of wholes. The building blocks
remain the same, but the configurations are entirely different. All these
permutations in nature display the fact that energy configurations are evolving
from one context to the next, from one level to the next, from one hierarchy to
the next. Visualize smaller circles of life giving rise to larger circles of
life. Smaller energy configurations giving rise to higher energy
configurations. This, then, is the new paradigm that accommodates both creation
and evolution. In this way, we see evolution manifesting as the development of
energy configurations in different environmental matrices, each building on the
preceding whole. And creation is the original impetus that gave rise to the
universal primordial archetypes of these forms.

Fascinating!

If energy configurations are evolving,
then the level of awareness of these energy systems are evolving too! The level
of awareness of an atom is limited to energy interactions that maintain its
nuclear shape and integrity and insure its ability to form molecules with other
atoms. The awareness of a monocellular organism is something else entirely. Its
biological activities revolve around the maintenance of homeostasis and the
capacity to reproduce. Thus, its awareness of itself has reached a different
level, not necessarily higher in essence than the preceding system of an atom,
but perhaps richer in context. Because the necessities of homeostasis and
reproduction will cause the organism’s awareness of its environment to be on a
higher level of context, richer, and more detailed.

Which leads us to human awareness. The
consciousness of the human has reached a level where he begins to inquire on
the fundamental questions of existence. His awareness of himself is not
necessarily higher than molecules, plants or animals. Rather, it is richer
relative to the environmental matrix. Because if the human is to survive, he
has to assimilate and conquer more of its environmental variables as compared
to the lower hierarchies.

Therefore, we can see that evolution is
proceeding level by level, whole by whole, context by context. This is a secret
that used to be shared only by the best quantum physicists and the most
enlightened mystical philosophers. This is the fact that evolution means not
only the development of outer physical forms but it is actually the enhancement
of consciousness as a form experiences its pilgrimage through the levels of
complexity in the nature of the universe.

Creation means the inception of a
universe. Evolution means the development of awareness or consciousness in that
particular universe as its levels of complexity deepen; thus revealing their
inherent beauty.

And now, we are ready to tackle the
final fundamental dilemma…..

Where
are you going?

“The journey of a thousand miles begins
with a single step.” This is a mystical saying attributed to the semi-legendary
figure of Lao Tzu, reputedly the author of the Tao Te Ching, and considered the
nominal founder of Taoism.

We have been exploring the fundamental
questions of existence. We began with the question of fundamental nature: “Who
are you?” Then we continued with the question of origin and purpose, “Why are
you here?” Now let us study the question of destiny and finality: “Where are
you going?”

We have seen how the forms in nature
are evolving into more complex forms, hierarchy by hierarchy. This process
pervades the entire universe. And while matter is the outer form or clothing of
this process, it is the evolution of consciousness which is the engine that
drives it.

There have been many allegories of this
process. Some mystical writers compare life on earth in particular and life in
the universe in general to a school. In this allegory, all beings are enrolled
in some kind of school where skills are gained, lessons are learned and
insights assimilated. In mystical Hindu philosophy, the tempering forces are called
karma, dharma and samsara, among others. When a particular insight is learned,
developing beings go on to the next level, where there are fresh lessons and
new insights. Another allegory worth considering is that of a pilgrimage or a
journey. In this particular allegory, the beings of the universe are on a grand
adventure. The goal is perfection in evolution as well as the joy of
exploration. I find this allegory to be a perfect educational tool for
aspirants in the spiritual path.

From the point of view of a single
individual, life is so complex with its attendant problems and vicissitudes.
Anyone can be overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of it all. Yet, all the great
spiritual traditions of mankind have maintained that life has a purpose far
more magnificent than our mundane existence. The trick is to discover the
higher meaning of life. For this, all spiritual aspirants since time immemorial
have been challenged to open their eyes to the wider world.

Expand your consciousness. Inquire
more. Reflect more. Contemplate more. Meditate more. Discover more
perspectives. Get out of your shell, psychologically speaking. As the forms of
the universe evolve into higher and higher modes of expression, so you too are
invited in the great banquet of eternity. We have seen previously how the forms
of life seek to produce more wholes, each more complex than the preceding one.
In the same way, the journey of evolution is a pilgrimage of wholes. Let us see
how this journey plays in the dance of the universe. Reflect very deeply as we
essay the next few statements.

You are a whole.

Yet, you are incomplete.

This incompleteness is not your fault
(paradigm shift in Western religious thought). Rather, it is the product of
inexperience. Why is this so?

As you have journeyed in the planes of
existence, you have assimilated experiences from your own perspective. Since
you are a fragment of the greater whole, this perspective is necessarily
incomplete. You can gain a better understanding of the infinite universe by
increasing the quantity of your travels in awareness. This means experiencing
more of the whole from your vantage point. More lives. More experiences. Thus,
the wheel of time, the cycle of reincarnation.

Meanwhile, you are a whole that seeks
to enhance its wholeness. You seek perfection, but think it unattainable. Well,
good news, your lower mind cannot attain perfection by itself. It must use
other weapons at its disposal; some of which are known only to the Collective
Unconscious. Waiting to be discovered, of course.

You are a whole.

Yet, you are incomplete. A fragment of
the Greater Whole.

And
this is the reason why there is a pilgrimage.

You
are bound to evolve, into greater and greater Wholes.

Your
coherence increases as your pilgrimage deepens.

Your capacity
to process information shall increase!

And
you shall evolve, more and more, expanding higher and higher!

Let
me conclude by offering this saying of Teilhard de Chardin for contemplation:

“We are not human beings on a spiritual
journey; we are spiritual beings on a human journey.”

JMCC

About the Journal of Metaphysics and Connected Consciousness

The Journal of Metaphysics and Connected Consciousness provides original content from contributors in the fields of Metaphysics, Philosophy, Spirituality and Consciousness Studies. The Journal also welcomes articles from other disciplines that focus on our themes of interest. The founder's belief is that through a multidisciplinary approach to the exploration of life and Consciousness, we can all come to greater understanding of our place in existence and increase the health and well-being of humanity.

Contributors retain copyrights to their works while being afforded the opportunity to share their knowledge through the publication of articles with a wide audience. This is a peer reviewed journal. To view our contributors, please visit the Bio's page or for submission guidelines, please visit the our Guidelines page.

This journal is edited by Reverend J.L. Harter, Ph.D, founder of The Ministry of Connected Consciousness and the Journal of Metaphysics and Connected Consciousness and Dr. Liam Leonard (editor, author and publisher). You can contact the editor at jaiehart@gmail.com.

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The views expressed by our wonderful contributors are not necessarily the views of the Journal of Metaphysics and Connected Consciousness or The Ministry of Connected Consciousness. They are presented here for your information and for your contemplation. Nothing expressed herein should take the place of common sense or the need for you to research and validate your own beliefs or the information presented (which the contributing founder hopes you will do).